American to open Flagship Lounge, new Admirals Club in Philly next year
American Airlines is planning to open two new lounges — including a more upscale Flagship Lounge — at one of its major East Coast hubs.
Sometime next year, American will unveil both an Admirals Club and a Flagship Lounge at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), the Fort Worth-based carrier revealed Friday.
The announcement figures to be a win for travelers navigating the airport, which is a busy connecting hub for American that includes a number of transatlantic flights.
New lounge details
So far, details about the two new Philly lounges are pretty limited. They'll both be located in the A-West terminal, a spokesperson said Friday.
And, the lounges will boast the warmer ambience — complete with fireplaces — that we’ve seen in some of the newer clubs American has unveiled.
The rendering American shared, above, is the only image released so far.
However, here’s a look at one of the newer Admirals Club in its portfolio, which opened last fall at Denver International Airport (DEN) and has the newer aesthetic American has been using in its new and renovated lounges.
"The opening of the new Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club lounge will continue to create a harmonized design experience across all newly opened lounges that customers will instantly recognize," American said in a statement Friday.
Bolstering Philly lounge options
American already operates several lounges at its Philly hub, but its lack of a Flagship Lounge has been, until now, something of a hole in its network — particularly considering the transatlantic schedule the carrier boasts out of Philadelphia, as shown in the below map from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
American currently has Flagship Lounges at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Miami International Airport (MIA).
There’s technically no Flagship Lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), but the Chelsea Lounge that American shares with joint-venture partner British Airways essentially functions like one.
More upscale than standard Admirals Clubs, Flagship Lounges have more robust food options and other high-end touches like specialty cocktail bars and a premium wine table.
You can gain access to a Flagship Lounge by flying with a Flagship First ticket, or a Flagship Business ticket on certain flights — generally international or a few key transcontinental routes (often flights operated by the Boeing 777-300ER or Airbus A321T).
Those with high-level elite status can also access the lounge on eligible flights.
American currently operates four Philly Admirals Clubs, including one in A-West — the terminal where these two new lounges will be constructed.
Looking ahead
When asked by TPG, a spokesperson could not offer a more specific timeline on when these two new lounges might open — just that they are expected in 2025.
An annual Admirals Club membership starts at $850 for a first-time, non-elite member, but there are discounts for AAdvantage elite members and members renewing.
Lounge access also can be attained with American's high-end cobranded credit card, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), which carries a $595 annual fee.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.